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March '11
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by Boots Hart

Whatever March brings, its cumulative effect will likely be to evoke enough of a reaction to get us to recognize the value of our existence. We may learn this through personal experiences or through witnessing what life can be or become. What will we do with what we realize now?

The process starts with Venus and Uranus at 29 critically intense degrees of Capricorn and Pisces, respectively. Given that these positions form a natural transiting sextile, it's a picture of an opportunity to change things that's being felt in all of our lives—and in life in general.

By March 2—as Venus moves into Aquarius at 2:40am (UT/+0)—attention focuses more on where we do or don't fit in, and not just what we make of life, but how we make our way in life. Aquarius being a sign of the marketplace and systems social, societal, economic, power or infrastructural, the natural first question becomes is this working? If it is, we're likely to feel a bit protective. Why? Well, there's an opposition of Icarus at 4 Aquarius to Photographica at 5 Leo perfecting on the afternoon of March 6 (UT/+0) where Icarus is direct but Photographica is retrograde. So everything (Aquarius) is going at such a clip (Icarus)…what do things "look like" (Photographica) for us personally (Leo)? Some will "say how does this help me?" while others will feel things are turning "against" them. Most of us will just be a bit wary.      

Then the Lunar Nodes change sign, sliding from 0 Capricorn/0 Cancer into 29 Sagittarius (North Node) and 29 Gemini (South Node) as March 2 becomes March 3. The Lunar Nodes are about where we interact with/connect to our society (purposefully or in general). With the South Node moving towards fixed star Betelgeuse, as Gemini's ruler (Mercury) is either weakly or philosophically placed in Pisces (it does depend, right?), wishes, hopes and justifications are likely…but in the end, won't get the job done.

With Pisces being the most global and universal of the water/emotional signs, feelings get evoked and provoked, and optimally, we realize that such feelings are universal. So we're not weird for feeling our feelings—but neither do they make us “special.” Classically, the easy thing to do now is think or talk about things. The hard thing is to do anything productive to fix whatever problems are now being (emotionally) pointed out. It's to be expected that a lot of people will want to ignore things, not listen and not get involved, but that's not the high road of the moment.

It's also worth remembering that the water signs (and houses associated with them in your natal chart) are karmic in nature.

So on href="../cal/11-03marinfl.html#mar3">March 3, we all “feel it.” Then on March 4, as Mercury moves into Pisces' third decan, a New Moon occurs at 13 Pisces at 8:47 in the evening (UT/+0) and matters begin setting like  Jello in the refrigerator. It sounds trite, but being grateful for what we have would be good in this moment. Other good uses for this New Moon: having a good talk with ourselves about getting past things we're reluctant to face (and) getting realistic about real life versus our internal "wish list"—all coming from the idea that 13 Pisces is known to denote "nebulous feelings" and the kind of insecurities which cause us to look to others…which at this point could be unfortunate, considering they're in a nebulous space too!

There's part of this New Moon "lesson" which suggests it may be about exactly this issue—otherwise known as being able to (learning to) tolerate living with our feelings until we understand them. But in a world rife with tweeting and various kinds of condoned co-dependency, how likely is that?

Since we're talking Pisces, it seems apt to check out ruler Jupiter, which is in Aries, conjunct Pelion. So there may be a "mountain" (Pelion) of things we don't know how to do, or deal with yet. Then again, that may be an illusion. If Pisces is a "test of faith" we all experience from within, then maybe we shouldn't panic or drive ourselves crazy trying to glue things down. Acceptance is the Pisces challenge. Considering how Pisces' secondary (outcome) ruler, Neptune, is conjunct universalist Sappho at 28 Aquarius at the moment, accepting that we don't know and that it's okay not to know (yet) and that we should just try and do what we do know is best to do in any given situation seems apt. After all, this is all about a New Moon—a cycle lasting 29.5 days. Learning about each month's "theme" and (often separately) those issues that "theme" may apply to in your life is the monthly lunation process.

Do we like it? Heck no! Not every time—that's for sure. But it is only a month…which is otherwise known as "it's only a month." Those who purposefully dawdle and delay for emotional reasons are likely to get the short end of their own stick; those who do or hold off doing because that's what the situation merits end up getting through things fine.

You remember that old saying "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature!" mayhap? Yes, well…moms do have their ways! We can learn our cosmic lessons or humor ourselves. Mother Nature will always have the last word!

The next shift occurs on March 9 when Mercury enters Aries at 5:46pm (UT/+0). In the days just prior (when Mercury was in Pisces' third decan), promptings were external. That run ended as Mercury conjuncts Scheat (late on March 8 or early on March 9, depending on where you are), signaling bad times/reception of our ideas.

Upon entering Aries Mercury faces off in opposition to TNO Typhon (retrograde), Nemesis (retrograde) and super-giant Black Hole M87. This asks: how far are you from where you want to be? There's a very (Typhon) primal note of warning (Nemesis) here which should not be avoided and not be exaggerated, this being one of those moments which tests our ability to size up realities, possibilities, challenges and opportunities, deal with each courageously but rationally. Projection and haste, living in/on expectations or demanding that others see/do/prioritize things as you do is the short list of pitfalls. Oh—and if you know of an ally who has a like goal and different methods/plans for getting there, have a chat! It may even pay to link up!

A couple of days pass…then Uranus enters Aries at 53 minutes past midnight on March 12 (UT/+0). This will be rather like dry tinder being heaped on whatever Mercury-Typhon-Nemesis fire you've got going. So things heat up, but whether this is a bonfire or conflagration, a smoky mess or just right for toasting marshmallows will depend on what you've been up to thus far this month and to some extent, since late May through early August of last year. Whether things go up in smoke, become a fire burning in your belly or light the path depends on how willing you are/have been to be your own person.

(And yes, Mother Nature is standing there tapping her toe. Did you eat your cosmic veggies?)

Everything which is now bubbling, boiling, spewing and brewing comes to a head with the Full Moon of March 19 at 6:11 in the evening (UT/+0) at 28 Virgo, a degree known for willingness to face or take on problematic situations and things which in general, need doing.

Or wait…is that really willingness? With the Sun of this figure conjunct calculated Lilith and Scheat at 29 Pisces and the Moon tied up in Virgo with TNO Typhon and Nemesis, this may be a moment when something screams to be dealt with! With calculated Black Moon Lilith being everything we don't want to hear about/deal with in society or social systemic terms…that conjunct everybody's non-favorite fixed star Scheat (societal rejection, usually of ideas) in Pisces' highly emotional/provocative/emotive 3rd decanate is handwriting not just on the wall, but in bas relief. It's half a mile high! It's (literally!) written in the stars and front, center and in your face!

Oh—and lets not forget how primal and basic Moon/Typhon can be. Plus Nemesis? Prepare for a dose of "I knew this would happen!"

No, it's not our most peaceful moment. But will we take a hint? Will we grapple where and how it's not just about what we like or are interested in?

This latter thought is brought more into focus as Saturn strikes a sesquisquare with Neptune on March 24 at 7:29 in the evening (UT/+0). Considering that a sesquisquare is all the challenge plus double the discomfort of a simple square…? That says a lot—especially considering how Saturn's stringent rules of timeliness, reality and standards don't mix with Neptune's exultation of the non-specific. It's rather like commanding metallic sodium and water to get along nicely—it isn't happening!

Now… in theory  Saturn in Libra (the effort to relate) should get along with the Neptune-Aquarius precept of "acceptance by/of the group" and  "systemic functionality." Except for …well, we've seen how Balkanized the world has become in the past few years, right? Everyone says they want everyone to get along. Everything will be fine if they follow MY rules!  

That's an obvious problem. And while the solution would seem fairly simple (accepting that different people have different ways of doing, thinking, being) this seems to be one of those periods in history when people are just crazy-invested in their own perspective!

(Did you hear Mother Nature say that if we keep it up, we're going to bed early with no story?)

As to this Neptune/Saturn irritation, with Neptune conjunct Eros and Venus—as ruler of Libra—conjunct Hel (with both in late Aquarius), the concept of what "nirvana" and entitlement are would seem to be the core of the problem. It's something like the difference between the want and the possible.

Meanwhile…on the Saturn side of this saga, Saturn is not quite yet in opposition to Jupiter—that will come on March 28. But it's getting close—so internal conflicts are ramping up and (yes!) we're likely to project!

Just before that happens, Venus enters Pisces (on March 27 at 6:54am UT/+0), which should at least help soften a few egos and help cope with inevitabilities. This doesn't mean there won't be a price to pay, merely that some will now surrender willingly rather than be proven wrong, while another group will go mushy under pressure because they just don't want to have to think for themselves!

Whatever that is, there's also a greater aura to this passage which dissolves a portion of fractious energy, enhancing understanding if not necessarily direct communication. So while you may not yet reach an actual agreement with someone, this may help everyone realize an agreement is actually possible.

Mercury goes station/retrograde on March 30 at 24 Aries at 8:49 in the evening (UT/+0), reinforcing the idea of thinking things over. During Mercury retrograde, things often go into a lull. Sometimes we feel like we're being ignored. It's something of a waiting game. The reality here is that from Earth, Mercury is simply on "the other side of the Sun" and thus “operating out of sight.” Things are going on, they're just not going on where we can see them, recalling Stephen Hawking's famous comment on whether God plays at dice… "God does play dice—He just rolls them out of sight."

Getting back to the subject… Mercury goes retrograde in opposition to fixed star Spica and reflective Mnemosyne, helping us recognize that the little thing we do or don't do, those little details, can really mean a lot. Maybe to us, maybe to someone else. How preoccupied (or self-centered?) are we to dismiss/miss such things?

Some answers may well begin surfacing as Jupiter hits a semi-square to Neptune at 44 minutes past midnight on March 31. With Neptune conjunct Hel we may also realize when, where and how we actually create some (if not many) of our own problems by living too much in and for ourselves. Call it guilt, call it regret, call it sobering recognition, since the signature here is Neptune (plus) Jupiter, the only solution is to accept, recognize, learn from and move on.

Tomorrow can really be a better day—especially if we make tomorrow a better day!

Boots Hart, CAP